A new species of Megalommum Szépligeti (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae); a parasitoid of the pistachio longhorn beetle (Calchaenesthes pistacivora Holzschuh; Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) in Iran

A new species of the genus Megalommum Szépligeti (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Braconinae), reared from the pistachio longhorn beetle (Calchaenesthes pistacivora Holzschuh; Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), is described and illustrated. The genera Curreia Ashmead, 1900 and Endovipio Turner, 1922 are new synonyms of Megalommum Szépligeti, 1900. Notes on the biology of Megalommum pistacivoraesp. n. and a key to the West Palaearctic and Oriental species are added. The following new combinations are given: Megalommum xanthoceps (Fahringer, 1928), comb. n.,Megalommum jacobsoni (Tobias, 1968), comb. n.,Megalommum ayyari (Watanabe, 1950), comb. n.,Megalommum philippinense (Baker, 1917), comb. n.,Megalommum dodecanesi(Ferrière, 1922), comb. n.,Megalommum ceresense (Turner, 1922), comb. n., Megalommum inareatum (Granger, 1949), comb. n.,Megalommum antefurcale (Szépligeti, 1915) comb. n. and Megalommum tibiale (Ashmead, 1906), comb. n.     

High genetic and morphological diversity despite range contraction in the diploid Hieracium eriophorum (Asteraceae) endemic to the coastal sand dunes of south‐west France

Endemic plants inhabiting coastal sand dunes show augmented extinction risks due to the dynamic nature of dunes and strong human pressure on coastal areas. To investigate the survival strategies and threats to long‐term survival of such species, we combined genetic, morphological and biogeographical approaches, using the example of Hieracium eriophorum (Asteraceae) and its putative cryptic sister species H. prostratum, which are endemic to the longest coastal sand dune in Europe. An analysis of amplified fragment length polymorphism revealed high within‐population genetic variability, and slight isolation by distance was the only indication of genetic population structure. Thus, no signs of genetic threats to survival were found. Furthermore, genetic and morphometric data provided no evidence for the existence of two species. Therefore, we propose to synonymize H. prostratum with H. eriophorum and provide a nomenclatural overview with typification. Finally, an analysis of historical distribution records showed that, during the last 100 years, the species was lost from its range margins, where its habitat became fragmented. Taken together, our results suggest that one successful survival strategy of narrow endemics may be the achievement of large local population sizes on a small geographical scale, thus avoiding the genetic problems inherent to small and fragmented populations. Dune management policies should thus take care that the current tendencies to allow more erosion will not result in too severe fragmentation of the remaining continuous stretches of dune habitat. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 169 , 365–377.     

The role of vocal individuality in conservation

Identifying the individuals within a population can generate information on life history parameters, generate input data for conservation models, and highlight behavioural traits that may affect management decisions and error or bias within census methods. Individual animals can be discriminated by features of their vocalisations. This vocal individuality can be utilised as an alternative marking technique in situations where the marks are difficult to detect or animals are sensitive to disturbance. Vocal individuality can also be used in cases were the capture and handling of an animal is either logistically or ethically problematic. Many studies have suggested that vocal individuality can be used to count and monitor populations over time; however, few have explicitly tested the method in this role. In this review we discuss methods for extracting individuality information from vocalisations and techniques for using this to count and monitor populations over time. We present case studies in birds where vocal individuality has been applied to conservation and we discuss its role in mammals.     

Ig-like Domain in Endoglucanase Cel9A from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius</Emphasis> Makes Dependent the Enzyme Stability on Calcium

Endoglucanase Cel9A from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius (AaCel9A) has an Ig-like domain and the enzyme stability is dependent to calcium. In this study the effect of calcium on the structure and stability of the wild-type enzyme and the truncated form (the wild-type enzyme without Ig-like domain, AaCel9AΔN) was investigated. Fluorescence quenching results indicated that calcium increased and decreased the rigidity of the wild-type and truncated enzymes, respectively. RMSF results indicated that AaCel9A has two flexible regions (regions A and B) and deleting the Ig-like domain increased the truncated enzyme stability by decreasing the flexibility of region B probably through increasing the hydrogen bonds. Calcium contact map analysis showed that deleting the Ig-like domain decreased the calcium contacting residues and their calcium binding affinities, especially, in region B which has a role in calcium binding site in AaCel9A. Metal depletion and activity recovering as well as stability results showed that the structure and stability of the wild-type and truncated enzymes are completely dependent on and independent of calcium, respectively. Finally, one can conclude that the deletion of Ig-like domain makes AaCel9AΔN independent of calcium via decreasing the flexibility of region B through increasing the hydrogen bonds. This suggests a new role for the Ig-like domain which makes AaCel9A structure dependent on calcium.     

The structural properties of magainin in water, TFE/water, and aqueous urea solutions: molecular dynamics simulations

Here, the MD simulations and comparative structural analysis of Magainin in water, TFE/water, and 2M, 4M, and BM urea solutions is reported. For MAG-TFE/water and MAG-2M urea the largely alpha helical conformation of the peptide is maintained throughout the 9-ns simulation. While in water, 4M urea, and 8M urea, the helix length decreases and at the same time helix radius increases. This suggests a more destabilized magainin secondary structure. Our simulation data reveals that the stabilizing effect of TFE is induced by preferential accumulation of TFE molecules around the alpha helical peptide. These results indicate that an aqueous urea solution solvates the surface of polypeptide chain more favorably than pure water. Urea molecules interact more favorably with nonpolar groups of the peptide in comparison with water, and the presence of urea improves the interactions of water molecules with the hydrophilic groups of the peptide. At 8M urea, there are more direct interactions between the urea and solute, and the helix is destabilized. At 2M urea, the interaction of urea molecules and nonpolar residues are weak, therefore, the presence of urea molecules decreases the interactions of water molecules with hydrophilic groups. Urea could not deteriorate the peptide secondary structure with time from an initial helix structure.     

MAP2 IHC detection: a marker of antigenicity in CNS tissues

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is used to detect antibody-specific antigens in tissues; the results depend on the ability of the primary antibodies to bind to their antigens. Therefore, results depend on the quality of preservation of the specimen. Many investigators have overcome the deleterious effects of over-fixation on the binding of primary antibodies to specimen antigens using IHC, but if the specimen is under-fixed or fixation is delayed, false negative results could be obtained despite certified laboratory practices. Microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) is an abundant microtubule-associate protein that participates in the outgrowth of neuronal processes and synaptic plasticity; it is localized primarily in cell bodies and dendrites of neurons. MAP2 immunolabeling has been reported to be absent in areas of the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus of Alzheimer’s disease brains that were co-localized with the dense-core type of amyloid plaques. It was hypothesized that the lack of MAP2 immunolabeling in these structures was due to the degradation of the MAP2 antigen by the neuronal proteases that were released as the neurons lysed leading to the formation of these plaques. Because MAP2 is sensitive to proteolysis, we hypothesized that changes in MAP2 immunolabeling may be correlated with the degree of fixation of central nervous system (CNS) tissues. We detected normal MAP2 immunolabeling in fixed rat brain tissues, but MAP2 immunolabeling was decreased or lost in unfixed and delayed-fixed rat brain tissues. By contrast, two ubiquitous CNS-specific markers, myelin basic protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein, were unaffected by the degree of fixation in the same tissues. Our observations suggest that preservation of various CNS-specific antigens differs with the degree of fixation and that the lack of MAP2 immunolabeling in the rat brain may indicate inadequate tissue fixation. We recommend applying MAP2 IHC for all CNS tissues as a pre-screen to assess the quality of the tissue preservation and to avoid potentially false negative IHC results.     

Prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in Canadians 55 to 74 years of age: results from the Canadian Heart Health Surveys, 1986-1992

BACKGROUND: By 2016, the proportion of Canadians older than 65 years of age will increase to 16%, and there will be an increase in the absolute number of cases of cardiovascular disease in older Canadians. The Canadian Heart Health Surveys database provides information about this population upon which health policy related to cardiovascular disease can be based. This paper presents for the first time population-based data on the risk factors for cardiovascular disease in older Canadians. METHODS: Canadians from all 10 provinces participated in surveys of cardiovascular risk factors; health insurance registries were used as sampling frames. In each province, probability samples of 2200 adults 18 to 74 years old not living in institutions, on reserves or in military camps were asked to participate in interviews and to undergo testing at clinics for major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. RESULTS: A total of 2739 men (response rate 70%) and 2617 women (response rate 66%) aged 55 to 74 years participated in the survey and also provided follow-up clinical measurements at the clinic. Overall, 52% of participants were hypertensive, 26% had isolated systolic hypertension, and 30% had a total blood cholesterol level of 6.2 mmol/L or greater. Rates of current smoking were lower in women than men (17% v. 22%). Overall, 87% of men and 78% of women who were current smokers smoked at least 10 cigarettes per day. Only slightly more than half of participants exercised at least once a week for at least 15 minutes, and almost half had a body mass index of 27 or greater. In only 4% was no major risk factor for cardiovascular disease detected. INTERPRETATION: Significant numbers of older Canadians have one or more major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Many of these risk factors are amenable to modification.     

Osteogenesis imperfecta: the audiological phenotype lacks correlation with the genotype

Background

Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1), a common autosomal dominant disorder, was shown in one study to be associated with a 15-year decrease in life expectancy. However, data on mortality in NF1 are limited. Our aim was to evaluate mortality in a large retrospective cohort of NF1 patients seen in France between 1980 and 2006.

Methods

Consecutive NF1 patients referred to the National French Referral Center for Neurofibromatoses were included. The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated as the ratio of observed over expected numbers of deaths. We studied factors associated with death and causes of death.

Results

Between 1980 and 2006, 1895 NF1 patients were seen. Median follow-up was 6.8 years (range, 0.4-20.6). Vital status was available for 1226 (65%) patients, of whom 1159 (94.5%) survived and 67 (5.5%) died. Overall mortality was significantly increased in the NF1 cohort (SMR, 2.02; CI, 1.6-2.6; P < 10^-4). The excess mortality occurred among patients aged 10 to 20 years (SMR, 5.2; CI, 2.6-9.3; P < 10^-4) and 20 to 40 years (SMR, 4.1; 2.8-5.8; P < 10^-4). Significant excess mortality was found in both males and females. In the 10-20 year age group, females had a significant increase in mortality compared to males (SMR, 12.6; CI, 5.7-23.9; and SMR, 1.8; CI, 0.2-6.4; respectively). The cause of death was available for 58 (86.6%) patients; malignant nerve sheath tumor was the main cause of death (60%).

Conclusions

We found significantly increased SMRs indicating excess mortality in NF1 patients compared to the general population. The definitive diagnosis of NF1 in all patients is a strength of our study, and the high rate of death related to malignant transformation is consistent with previous work. The retrospective design and hospital-based recruitment are limitations of our study. Mortality was significantly increased in NF1 patients aged 10 to 40 years and tended to be higher in females than in males.